Tesla - The Forgotten Genius

Perhaps inventors like Thomas Edison got all the credit for inventing the ubiquitous light bulb, but did you know that the electric currents that run through our homes and workplaces are based on the work of another, more obscure, inventor? His name was Nikola Tesla. His persona was revived a couple of years ago in the film 'The Prestige.' The are two distinct stories that have come down to us over the years about Telsa: one tells the tale of a visionary genius, whose inventions were so unbelievable and ahead of their time that many of them have yet to be put into practice; the other story is one of envy and greed, which motivated his competitor, Thomas Edison, to discredit his work in the eyes of the public. Here are two short videos that tell these two stories (answer the questions that follow): First, a scene from 'The Prestige': And here, a home-made mini-documentary put together in a humourous fashion: Questions: 1. What characteristics about Tesla do both videos emphasize? 2. (First video): What question does 'The Great Danton' (the character played by Hugh Jackman) ask Tesla? What is Tesla's reply? 3. (Questions 3-10 are all about the second videoclip): What three adjectives are used to describe Tesla's childhood personality? 4. Why did Tesla have to abort his junebug experiment? 5. What was Tesla trying to accomplish with the two cats? 6. What 'misunderstanding' was there between Tesla and his employer, Edison? 7. What kind of efforts did Edison make to discredit Tesla? 8. What were the limitations of Edison's direct current? 9. How many patents did Tesla have? 10. What was the cause of Tesla's death? Did he die a wealthy man?

Do you know who she is? No? Well, let's get to know Noomi Rapace. Watch this interview and answer the questions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZZy6R97c0o
1. How did Rapace prepare for the role of Lisbeth Salander? Why did she feel these preparations were necessary?
2. Is Rapace's English perfect? Can you detect any errors? Do they impede communication?
3. What do critics say about Rapace's performance?
4. What kind of life did Rapace lead as a teenager?
5. What did Rapace not want to do in the violent scenes of the film?
6. What do we know about Rapace's taste in film? Would she accept a role in a Hollywood film? Do you believe her? (sorry, that's me being cynical again).
7. Do you think Millennium is a "mainstream" novel and film (according the video it is not)? What does mainstream mean, anyway? Examples?
Discussion questions:
1. Have you read any of the Millennium books? If so, why so, and if not why not?
2. Do you think Millennium is a mainstream phenomenon or a fringe cult series?
3. How many books do you read per year? How many movies do you see per year? Why do we tend to see more movies than read books? What's more satisfying? Why?

Facebook feud

Meet the real Winklevoss twins, depicted in the film 'The Social Network.'. These are the guys who sued Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and eventually won a settlement for $65 million. Watch the video and answer the questions below. Before watching this video, you might want to get some background on the story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Winklevoss 1. According to the assumption made in this interview, whose original idea was it to start a social network which eventually went on to become Facebook? 2. How did the Winklevosses feel when they first discovered that their idea had been stolen, and what did this feeling involve into? 3. How successful were the Winklevosses in 'righting the wrong' committed by Zuckerberg? 4. How straightforward are the Winklevosses about the money they have been awarded by the courts? 5. What is the motto of Harvard and why is it being cited? *************************************************************************************** And in case you haven't seen the film, here's a clip of actor Armie Hammer, who plays dual roles as both twins:

When fiction becomes reality

If you thought this kind of thing only happens in trashy best-seller fiction of the Dan Brown variety, think again! Here's a true story of high-stakes Vatican intrigue unfolding before our very eyes which points to corruption at the highest levels of the Holy See. Watch the short news clip by clicking on the link (embedding was not allowed for this video), and answer the questions: http://youtu.be/CqjGbYK3LLQ......................................................................... Comprehension Questions: 1. What are two functions of the Pope's butler cited in the beginning of the report? 2. What type of behaviour is being exposed at the Vatican? 3. What is the 'papal punchline,' and what genre of fiction is this a reference to? (How would you categorize the tone of the reporter at this stage?) 4. The butler is accused of __________________________ the Pope. (What is the noun form of this verb? (Used in the expression 'an act of ____________') 5. What is the incriminating evidence which has placed the butler under suspicion? 6. How did the butler supposedly benefit from stealing the documents? 7. What sort of intrigues do the documents expose? 8. Where is the butler now? ........................................................................... Discussion Questions: 1. Do you think the scandal goes deeper than the butler? Why/why not? 2. Can you trust butlers? Why do butlers get such a bad rap? 3. Do you think the Vatican is held to a higher standard than other institutions, i.e., do we expect Vatican officials to be less corruptible than politicians?

Don't be a scaredy-cat!

(Embedding was not allowed for this video, so I have provided the link instead, below) The content of this video is astounding. It relates the efforts of two men who are attempting to raise awareness of the plight of the African lion and gather support for their protection. The astounding part is how they go about doing this. Watch the video http://youtu.be/MNQcogZAMAY *********************************************************************************** Comprehension questions: 1. What is the main difference between the two groups (aka prides)of lions? (you need to watch to whole video to answer this question) 2. In the beginning of the clip (in the studio) what does Jay Schadler (the reporter - the guy with the grey hair) cite as reasons why viewers are going to like this story? (give at least three) 3. What unlikely species of animal is sleeping among the lions in the first scene? (What synonym does Schadler use for sleeping?) 4. How does Richardson achieve this up-close relationship with the lions? 5. According to Richardson, what has happened to the lion population in the last decade (what adjective does he use before the word 'amount'), and what is the popular misconception about Africa? 6. What is Dave Salmoni trying to accomplish with the wild lions in Namibia? Why are these particular lions in danger? 7. What kind of dangerous game is Salmoni playing? ('a game of _______ and ______') 8. Back at the studio, what does Schadler say is the final objective of Salmoni's project? ********************************************************************************* Discussion questions. 1. Human beings are capable of some pretty amazing things. In the beginning of the clip (in the studio) Schadler says these two men are 'treading a very, very thin line between courage and hubris.' Which of these two attributes do you think best describes their behaviour. 2. Salmoni seems to suggest that the survival of lions is closely linked to eco-tourism. Do you agree? 3. If Richardson accompanied you, would you walk up to the lions and pet them? Why or why not?

Sane or insane?

The following video is an excerpt from a BBC documentary series called 'The Trap,' created by BBC investigative journalist, Adam Curtis. The documentary explores the concept of freedom in our society, and this particular clip discusses a psychological experiment conducted by psychologist David Rosenhan back in the 1970s. I found it astounding - and quite disturbing. Before watching the clip, read these notes, which will help you to understand the context of the experiment explained in the video._________________________________________________________________________________ Notes: The year was 1973. The US government was not only losing the war in Vietnam, but was also losing popular support at home. Protests and riots broke out regularly in major cities and on college campuses. Interestingly, during this period, there was also an increase in the number of people being detained and admitted as 'insane' in psychiatric hospitals. From this atmosphere of social upheaval emerged voices from within the fields of psychology and psychiatry who denounced the use of psychiatry as a form of political control of the masses. The most prominent of these was R. D. Laing, a Scottish psychiatrist who was living in the US (this is the man you see in the very beginning of the video). Another professional in the field, David Rosenhan, attended one of his talks and was inspired to do an experiment. This video is about the experiment.________________________________________________________________ _______________________________Questions 1. What kind of science is psychiatry, according to Laing? 2. What was the key question about psychiatry that inspired David Rosenhan? 3. Where did the eight participants in the experiment go to conduct the experiment? 4. What 'lie' did each of the participants tell the psychiatrist on duty in their corresponding hospital, and how did they behave otherwise during the interview? 5. How many of the participants were admitted into the psychiatric hospitals? What was their diagnosis and treatment? 6. How long was Rosenhan detained at the hospital and how did he get out? 7. What was the reaction of the psychiatric community when they discovered what Rosenhan had done? 8. What challenge did one of the hospitals make to Rosenhan in order to prove their legitimacy, and what were the results of this challenge? Discussion question: 9. The presenter Adam Curtis says the effect of the Rosenhan experiment was a disaster for the credibility of psychiatry. Do you think a similar experiment conducted today would have similar results? 10. Is there a clear boundary between the categories 'sane' and 'insane,' or do you think the they are arbitrary lables?___________________________________________________ For fun, you can watch this related scene from the film '12 Monkeys' starring Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis: http://youtu.be/EOA3aYRSy_k

On the use of the term 'negro'

As a follow-up to the subject that came up in class, and as a preview to the Martin Luther King interview (see previous blog entry), I thought it would be interesting for you to read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negro

Martin Luther King defends his views on 1960s talk show

*** The more things change, the more they stay the same. Forty-five years years later, the moral issues being discussed here with Martin Luther King are still relevant today.*** Questions: 1. In his introduction, what two adjectives does Mike Douglas use to describe Martin Luther King? 2. Why does King say that his view on the first question has been distorted? 3. What five adjectives does King use to describe the war in Vietnam? 4. What does King say about black soldiers dying in Vietnam? 5. What is King's view about loyalty to the country? 6. In King's opinion, what would be a good way to get out of the war? (And what historical example does he give?) 7. What is King's view on the role of power? Which type of power does the US need to demonstrate it has? 8. What does King say about 'Caucasian' (white) followers potentially disassociating themselves from his civil rights movements on account of his anti-war views?

Child prodigy

Have you ever met a child prodigy? If not, it's my pleasure to introduce Emily Bear, who some are calling the next Mozart. Watch this short video and answer the questions below in your notepads. Feel free to post a comment saying whether you think this a hoax or if it's for real.

1. In what prestigious venue did Emily have the honour of performing?
2. Where is Emily from? (city and state, country)
3. What does Emily do in addition to performing music?
4. Where does Emily's music come from (according to her)? What word does her family not like to use to describe her talent?
5. Who "discovered" Emily? When Emily was two years her grandmother heard her playing a ___________. (fill in the blank) What does Emily's grandma do for a living? Who did grandma contact when she discovered Emily's prestigious talent? What piece is she practicing now and for what concert?
7. Who wrote Emily's favourite song? Who was this song written for?
8. Why is the stuffed animal that Emily is holding her favourite?
9. What does Emily want people to think about her? What does Emily want to be when she grows up?
Discussion questions:
1. Do you think Emily was born with this gift, as the reporter says, or was she simply a product of her environment? Justify your answer.
2. Do you think it's possible to learn to play the piano like Emily as an adult? Why or why not?

Nice resource for self-study

Here's a good website if you want to study a bit in advance for the CAE (those of you who might be interested in doing it next year). I'll make a few suggestions on how to use it to your advantage in our next lesson http://www.flo-joe.com/cae/students/wordbank/wform.htm

David Beckham 'hangs out' with google

David Beckham is arguably football's most international ambassador. In a nation where football (or soccer, as they call it) is historically not the most popular sport, Beckham has brought it to spotlight. Watch this short interview and 'hang out' with David Beckham. There are some questions for you to answer below. 1. Why is David Beckham pleased to be given an offer from the LA Galaxy? 2. Why did Beckham choose to stay with Galaxy and not accept an offer elsewhere? 3. What is the first question made to Beckham about his team (from the woman standing at the microphone), and how does he respond? Is he serious? 4. What is one of Beckham's biggest passions? What country does he talk about and what does he have to say about the children there? 5. What was Victoria Beckham's concern about the royal wedding? How does Beckham pronounce 'sitting?' 6. What joke does Beckham make about his underwear campaign and what three-letter word does he use to make a joke about the interviewer's comments? 7. What country has Beckham not visited yet? He says it would be 'exciting' to visit this country - how does he pronounce this word? (Remember what we discussed in class about the way British people pronounce the 't' when they are feeling relaxed and unguarded). 8. Who does all the google searches in Beckham's family and what does he search for?

A taste of the Cambridge Advanced Speaking exam

Those of you interested in doing the CAE next year might find it useful to check out some of the sample speaking exam videos available on youtube, such as this one. We'll talk more about this in class.

Confession from an Arizona governor

Here's something you don't see very often: a former politician risking ridicule by being honest. In class I'll give you an activity to accompany this video. For now just try to understand what the former governor is confessing to, and listen to the video several times until you feel comfortable with the language used.
Here's some vocabulary that comes up that might help:
1. astounded - amazed, very surprised
2. 'stir the pot' - expression meaning make things worse by causing a controversy
3. chief of staff - a person in charge of day-to-day affairs of a office-holding politician
And here's one question to think about: why did Mr. Symington take so long to make his confession?

Di Caprio and Page interview each other

Questions

1. The actors seem a bit nervous at times during this interview. How is this format different from other interview programs?
2. What word is used in the first question to describe the rapport or mutual attraction among the actors?
3. In answering the second question, what does Di Caprio say about the acting profession?
4. What are the two "unscripted" questions Page asks Di Caprio? (What does unscripted mean?)
5. What unscripted question does Di Caprio ask Page?

New Bond flick - interview with director Sam Mendes

Bond is back! And Bardem is playing guess who? You guessed it - the bad guy!
Watch this interview with director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and answer the questions below:

1. How does Mendes describe his personal relationship with Bond? (How far back does it go?)
2. How did Mendes feel about 'Casino Royale?' 3. What compelled Mendes to accept the challenge of directing a Bond film? What are his goals for the film? What three adjectives does he use to describe the type of Bond film he thinks it is possible to make?
4. According to Mendes, what's the only way to make a Bond film? What will happen if you try to make it too quickly?
5. What does Mendes find ironic about making this movie in Britain? What does he say about his 'American years?'

De Niro as Capone

This week we're taking a look at a couple of 'bad guys' (be sure to see the other video) in cinema. Here's another scene from 'The Untouchables' (we saw one a few lessons ago with Sean Connery and Kevin Costner). In class I'll be giving you a little worksheet, but for now I'm just asking you to watch the scene and study the language used (there's British and American accents in the scene, which is a nice mix). In the meantime, here's a couple of broad questions about the context of the scene, and on Capone's opinion about the law which enables him to do 'business':
1. What controversial law was in effect in Chicago (and in the whole USA) during the 'reign' of Al Capone?
2. What interesting observation does Capone make about laughter?
3. How does Capone view his role in the 'illegal' sale of alcoholic beverages?
4. In what way in Capone being less than honest with the British journalist about his business practices?

The coin toss

Here's a couple of expressions that will come in handy before watching the video:
1. 'toss a coin' (also 'flip a coin') - in a situation involving two possible outcomes, to toss a coin is to throw it in the air in order to determine the outcome; the side of the coin facing upwards ('heads' or 'tails') is the determining factor.
2. 'call it' - to choose 'heads' or 'tails' before a coin toss
3. 'put up' - in gambling (dice, poker, etc.), what one stands to keep or lose.

Now watch the video and answer the questions that follow


Comprehension questions:
1. What question does Javier Bardem ask the gas station attendant in the beginning of the video? How does the man reply?
2. What metaphysical observation does Bardem make about the coin?
3. What does the man stand to win, according to Bardem? (What do you think he stands to win?)

Discussion questions:
1. I find this scene disturbing, to say the least, no doubt because the role played by Bardem is so creepy. Some film critics have put him on their list of the best villains of all time. What do you think are the ingredients of a 'good villain,' and does Bardem embody them in this scene?
2. In what ways is Bardem's role as the creepy Anton Chigurh different from De Niro's bad-guy role (see other video) as Al Capone? Who is the 'badder' guy?
3. Do you find Bardem easier to understand because he's Spanish? How's his English, in your opinion?
4. Have you seen the film? If not, what do you think is gonna happen to the poor fellah in the gas station? (And if you have seen it, did you think the poor guy was going to survive while you were watching?).
5. Who directed this film? Yes, ok the Coen brothers. Have you seen any other films by them? How is this one similar/different to the others?

This is an interview with Obama before he became president. Before watching it, go this link and read the brief article about the relationship between President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2007/10/16/4426031-cheney-and-obama-cousins



Questions (You only need to watch the video until minute 4:30).
1. What does Obama say about Cheney's role in the family?
2. Why does Ellen joke about going hunting with Cheney? (You might have to do some research on this - google 'Cheney hunting accident').
3. Referring to genealogy, Obama says that when you look into your family history you end up discovering that you're related to some _________________.
4. Obama says Ellen 'makes a good Elvis,' and especially which part of the Elvis costume? What is Ellen's response to this?
5. What compliments does Ellen pay Obama about his personality?
6. What word does Obama use to explain his background? Where were his mother and father from? What is different about his sister?
7. What motivated Obama to get involved in public service? Who is he 'real sympathetic' towards?
8. Why did Obama go to Chicago? What type of programs did he help to set up?
9. What word does Obama use to describe himself (referring to his background and his name, for instance) - he says he's an 'under_______' - What does this mean?
10. According to Obama, part of the reason people may not pay attention to politics is because it's ________________________ and it doesn't seem like politicians get ______________________________.

The science of love

Can what we call 'love' simply be traced to a chemical reaction inside the brain? Watch the video and answer the questions:

1. What are the three distinct brain systems associated with love, according to Dr. Fisher?
2. What is Dr. Fisher's profession?
3. What procedure did Dr. Fisher and her colleagues perform on people who were 'madly in love?'
Fill in blanks:
4. Dopamine is a natural ___________________________.
5. Dopamine is sent to many different brain regions which creates all kinds of feelings associated with intense romantic love, such as (list at least six): _____________________________ _____________________________________________.
6. What is life's greatest prize, according to Dr. Fisher?
Fill in the blanks:
7. What are the physiological responses associated with romantic love? (list two) ____________________________________________________________________________________.
8. Dopamine and norepinephrine are chemically different by only ________________________.

Unlocking the secrets to long life

Why do some people live so long? Is it their diet? Lifestyle? Watch this video and answer the questions below

1. Who told Eberhart he would live to be 120 years old? Has the prediction come true? (What expression is used in the video to convey this meaning?)
2. What does Eberhart attribute his long life to?
3. In the video we see Eberhart getting into a car. Where is he going?
4. Who's sponsoring the study on long life? What other ambitious project have they organized (for this question, you'll need to do a little bit of research - the full answer is not in the video)
5. How does Eberhart refer to the age of his wife?
6. What does Dr. Perls say about the influence of 'protective genes?'
7, According to Mr. Weiss, what is the goal of this study?